Benigno R. Fitial
Encyclopedia
Benigno Repeki Fitial is the current governor
of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
. Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005 and assumed office on January 9, 2006 and was re-elected to a second, five-year term in 2009.
Fitial founded the Covenant Party
in 2001 after leaving the Republican Party
. He rejoined the Republican Party on January 5, 2011, announcing that his goal will be to merge the Covenant Party back into the Republican Party.
ese family, Fitial graduated with honors from Saipan's Mt. Carmel High School in 1964. He obatined a Bachelor of Business Administration
with an emphasis on business management from the University of Guam
. He is recognized as a University of Guam Distinguished Alumni.
Fitial is the first elected Northern Mariana governor of Carolinian
descent. The Carolinians are a minority group whose ancestors immigrated to the Northern Marianas in the early 19th century, from the Yap
and Chuuk
islands groups of what is now the Federated States of Micronesia
. Chamorros are the majority group on the Northern Marianas and a Chamorro has tended to win in past gubernatorial elections.
The Governor married to Josie Fitial
, who moved to the CNMI in 1983 to support her family. The couple met while she was working as a waitress on Saipan
. The couple have two children, Patrick and Christina, in addition to Benigno Fitial's four children from a previous marriage, Jason, Cathy, Junella and Julie.
Fitial has described himself in the past as a "good friend" of convicted US Lobbyist Jack Abramoff
, which has caused some controversy in both the Commonwealth and Washington
. As vice president of Tan Holdings, Fitial worked closely with Abramoff, who was a consistent client of the family textile conglomerate.
Fitial and his wife are residents of Gualo Rai, Saipan.
analyst
for the government of the former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
. He also worked as a former executive for Tan Holdings Corporation
, which was the largest garment manufacturer in the Northern Mariana Islands at the time.
Fitial is a former member of the Republican Party
, and even served as the chairman of the Republican Party in the CNMI.
Fitial left the Republican Party, and founded his own political party
, the Covenant Party
in 2001. He used the Covenant Party as a vehicle to run for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in the 2001 gubernatorial election with his running mate
, then-Education Commissioner Rita Inos
. However, Fitial was defeated in a landslide by the Republican
ticket of Juan N. Babauta
and his running mate, Diego Benavente
. The Babauta-Benavente ticket received 5,512 votes, the largest number of votes ever received by a gubernatorial candidate in history to date.
In 2003, Fitial was elected to the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
in the 2003 midterm election. Candidates from his Covenant Party were also elected, giving the party the majority in the House of Representatives. Fitial was further elected the Speaker
by the House in 2003, replacing Republican Speaker Heinz Hofschneider
. He represented Precinct 3, which includes parts of Saipan
and the northern islands.
of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). He defeated independent candidate Heinz Hofschneider
and incumbent Republican Governor Juan N. Babauta
during the 2005 gubarnatorial election with 28.1 percent of the total vote after absentee ballots were counted. The 2005 gubernatorial election margin of victory was the closest in the history of the Commonwealth. Fitial and his running mate, Lieutenant Governor
Timothy P. Villagomez
were sworn into office on January 9, 2006.
Fitial has faced many challenges during his term as governor, including budget
shortfalls, a weak economy
even before the Financial crisis of 2007–2010, and declining Japan
ese tourism
. He implemented a dress code of business attire
for all cabinet
members shortly after his inauguration.
Some observers and prominent publications (such as the Marianas Variety) have accused Fitial of concentrating power in his office. This includes a decision made to abolish the autonomy of at least two government agencies, with their functions being transferred to the executive. The governor and his supporters have asserted that drastic measures need to be taken to cut excessive government spending during the tenure of the previous governor, Juan Babauta.
Fitial was away from office for several weeks in late 2006 when he underwent successful surgery
at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles
on October 31 to correct spinal stenosis
.
Lieutenant Governor Timothy Villagomez resigned from office on April 24, 2009, following his conviction
on federal criminal charges related to fraud
while he was a member of the CMNI House of Representatives. Villagomez became the highest ranking CMNI official ever to be convicted in a criminal trial
. Under the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Constitution, when a Lieutenant Governor vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a successor with the "advice and consent
" of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate
.
Governor Fitial nominated the CNMI Secretary of Finance Eloy Inos
to fill the Lieutenant Governor vacancy on April 27, 2009. Fitial and Inos had first met years earlier while both were working for the government of the now defunct Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
. Fitial was working as a budget analyst, while Inos was employed as a tax manager for the Trust Territory's revenue
division at the time.
Inos was unanimously confirmed in a vote by all 29 members of the Senate on Friday, May 1, 2009. Inos was sworn into office by Governor Fitial shortly after the Senate vote, becoming the Northern Mariana Islands first unelected Lieutenant Governor.
On June 12, 2009, Fitial presided over Covenant Party midterm rally in Susupe
with an estimated crowd of approximately 3,000 people in attendance.
Fitial and Inos officially filed to run for re-election with the CNMI Election Commission on July 23, 2009, in the presence of nearly 200 family and supporters. In the November 2009 gubernatorial election
, Fitial was challenged by the Republican nominee, Heinz Hofschneider
, as well as independent candidates Juan Pan Guerrero
and Ramon "Kumoi" Guerrero
. In March 2009, Fitial had publicly stated that he will retire from politics if his re-election bid was unsuccessful.
In the general election, Hofschneider led Fitial by just 8 votes; because none of the candidates won a majority, a runoff between Hofschneider and Fitial was triggered. Fitial won the runoff by 370 votes and therefore was re-elected. Due to a newly ratified legislative initiative, Fitial will serve a five-year term and the next gubernatorial election will be held in 2014.
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
. Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005 and assumed office on January 9, 2006 and was re-elected to a second, five-year term in 2009.
Fitial founded the Covenant Party
Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)
The Covenant Party is a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands advocating government and financial reform. In the legislative elections of 2003, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. In the 2005 elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the...
in 2001 after leaving the Republican Party
Republican Party (Northern Mariana Islands)
The Republican Party is a political party in the Northern Mariana Islands. In the 2001 gubernatorial election Juan Babauta of the Republican Party won with 42.8% of the vote...
. He rejoined the Republican Party on January 5, 2011, announcing that his goal will be to merge the Covenant Party back into the Republican Party.
Personal life
Born on November 27, 1945, and raised in a SatawalSatawal
Satawal is a solitary coral atoll of one island located at in the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia...
ese family, Fitial graduated with honors from Saipan's Mt. Carmel High School in 1964. He obatined a Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
with an emphasis on business management from the University of Guam
University of Guam
University of Guam is a four-year land-grant institution, located in the village of Mangilao on the island of Guam in the Western Pacific Ocean...
. He is recognized as a University of Guam Distinguished Alumni.
Fitial is the first elected Northern Mariana governor of Carolinian
Carolinian language
Carolinian is an Austronesian language spoken in the Northern Mariana Islands, where it is an official language along with English and Chamorro. Spoken mostly by the Carolinian people, Carolinian is most closely related to Satawalese, Woleaian, and Puluwatese...
descent. The Carolinians are a minority group whose ancestors immigrated to the Northern Marianas in the early 19th century, from the Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...
and Chuuk
Chuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia , along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's...
islands groups of what is now the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
. Chamorros are the majority group on the Northern Marianas and a Chamorro has tended to win in past gubernatorial elections.
The Governor married to Josie Fitial
Josie Fitial
Josepina "Josie" Padiermos Fitial is the current First Lady of the Northern Mariana Islands and the wife of Governor Benigno Fitial...
, who moved to the CNMI in 1983 to support her family. The couple met while she was working as a waitress on Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
. The couple have two children, Patrick and Christina, in addition to Benigno Fitial's four children from a previous marriage, Jason, Cathy, Junella and Julie.
Fitial has described himself in the past as a "good friend" of convicted US Lobbyist Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
, which has caused some controversy in both the Commonwealth and Washington
Inside the Beltway
"Inside the Beltway" is a phrase used to characterize parts of the real or imagined American political system. The name refers to the Capital Beltway , a circumferential highway , completed in 1964, that encircles Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States.The phrase is commonly used to...
. As vice president of Tan Holdings, Fitial worked closely with Abramoff, who was a consistent client of the family textile conglomerate.
Fitial and his wife are residents of Gualo Rai, Saipan.
Political career
Fitial worked as a budgetBudget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
analyst
Financial analyst
A financial analyst, securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, or investment analyst is a person who performs financial analysis for external or internal clients as a core part of the job.-Job:...
for the government of the former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1986.-History:...
. He also worked as a former executive for Tan Holdings Corporation
Tan Holdings Corporation
Tan Holdings Corporation is a holdings company located in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands . Since 1983, the company's headquarters are located in Saipan. The company's CEO is Henry Tan, its President is Willie Tan, and its Executive Vice-President is Jerry Tan. All...
, which was the largest garment manufacturer in the Northern Mariana Islands at the time.
Fitial is a former member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (Northern Mariana Islands)
The Republican Party is a political party in the Northern Mariana Islands. In the 2001 gubernatorial election Juan Babauta of the Republican Party won with 42.8% of the vote...
, and even served as the chairman of the Republican Party in the CNMI.
Fitial left the Republican Party, and founded his own political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, the Covenant Party
Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)
The Covenant Party is a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands advocating government and financial reform. In the legislative elections of 2003, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. In the 2005 elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the...
in 2001. He used the Covenant Party as a vehicle to run for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in the 2001 gubernatorial election with his running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
, then-Education Commissioner Rita Inos
Rita Inos
Rita Hocog Inos, EdD, was a Northern Mariana Island educator, activist and politician. Inos was the former Education Commissioner of the Northern Marianas school system and served on the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents...
. However, Fitial was defeated in a landslide by the Republican
Republican Party (Northern Mariana Islands)
The Republican Party is a political party in the Northern Mariana Islands. In the 2001 gubernatorial election Juan Babauta of the Republican Party won with 42.8% of the vote...
ticket of Juan N. Babauta
Juan N. Babauta
Juan Nekai Babauta is a Northern Mariana Islander politician. Babauta served as the sixth elected Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for one term from January 14, 2002 until January 9, 2006....
and his running mate, Diego Benavente
Diego Benavente
Diego Tenorio Benavente is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Benavente, a Republican, served as the Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands under former Governor Juan Babauta from January 14, 2002, to January 9, 2006....
. The Babauta-Benavente ticket received 5,512 votes, the largest number of votes ever received by a gubernatorial candidate in history to date.
In 2003, Fitial was elected to the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
The Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives is the lower house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature.In the 2007 election cycle, the CNMI House membership was increased from 18 to 20...
in the 2003 midterm election. Candidates from his Covenant Party were also elected, giving the party the majority in the House of Representatives. Fitial was further elected the Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
by the House in 2003, replacing Republican Speaker Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003....
. He represented Precinct 3, which includes parts of Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
and the northern islands.
Governorship
Fitial is the seventh governorGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). He defeated independent candidate Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003....
and incumbent Republican Governor Juan N. Babauta
Juan N. Babauta
Juan Nekai Babauta is a Northern Mariana Islander politician. Babauta served as the sixth elected Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for one term from January 14, 2002 until January 9, 2006....
during the 2005 gubarnatorial election with 28.1 percent of the total vote after absentee ballots were counted. The 2005 gubernatorial election margin of victory was the closest in the history of the Commonwealth. Fitial and his running mate, Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has a self governing government consisting of a locally elected governor, Lieutenant Governor and the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The current Lieutenant Governor is Eloy Inos, who was appointed to fill the vacancy created when...
Timothy P. Villagomez
Timothy P. Villagomez
Timothy Pangelinan Villagomez was the Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands who served under current Governor Benigno R. Fitial until his resignation on April 26, 2009. Villagomez took office as Lieutenant Governor on January 9, 2006, after being elected as a ticket during the 2005...
were sworn into office on January 9, 2006.
Fitial has faced many challenges during his term as governor, including budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
shortfalls, a weak economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
even before the Financial crisis of 2007–2010, and declining Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. He implemented a dress code of business attire
Informal attire
Informal attire, also called international business attire or Western business attire is a dress code, typified by a suit and necktie, for men. On the scale of formality, informal attire is more formal than casual but less formal than semi-formal. It is more presentational than semi-casual, but...
for all cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
members shortly after his inauguration.
Some observers and prominent publications (such as the Marianas Variety) have accused Fitial of concentrating power in his office. This includes a decision made to abolish the autonomy of at least two government agencies, with their functions being transferred to the executive. The governor and his supporters have asserted that drastic measures need to be taken to cut excessive government spending during the tenure of the previous governor, Juan Babauta.
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on October 31 to correct spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves at the level of the lumbar vertebra. This is usually due to the common occurrence of spinal degeneration that occurs with aging. It can also sometimes be caused by spinal disc...
.
Lieutenant Governor Timothy Villagomez resigned from office on April 24, 2009, following his conviction
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
on federal criminal charges related to fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
while he was a member of the CMNI House of Representatives. Villagomez became the highest ranking CMNI official ever to be convicted in a criminal trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
. Under the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Constitution, when a Lieutenant Governor vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a successor with the "advice and consent
Advice and consent
Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts, describing a situation in which the executive branch of a government enacts something previously approved of by the legislative branch.-General:The expression is...
" of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate
Northern Mariana Islands Senate
The Northern Mariana Islands Senate is the upper house of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The Senate consists of nine senators representing three senatorial districts , each a multi-member constituency with three senators.In the November 2007 elections, the three senators up...
.
Governor Fitial nominated the CNMI Secretary of Finance Eloy Inos
Eloy Inos
Eloy Songao Inos is a politician in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Inos, a member of the Covenant Party, currently serves as Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. He was nominated by Governor Benigno Fitial to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lt....
to fill the Lieutenant Governor vacancy on April 27, 2009. Fitial and Inos had first met years earlier while both were working for the government of the now defunct Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1986.-History:...
. Fitial was working as a budget analyst, while Inos was employed as a tax manager for the Trust Territory's revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
division at the time.
Inos was unanimously confirmed in a vote by all 29 members of the Senate on Friday, May 1, 2009. Inos was sworn into office by Governor Fitial shortly after the Senate vote, becoming the Northern Mariana Islands first unelected Lieutenant Governor.
2009 Gubernatorial re-election campaign
Governor Benigno Fitial announced in March 2008 that he would seek re-election to a second term in 2009.On June 12, 2009, Fitial presided over Covenant Party midterm rally in Susupe
Susupe
Susupe is a village on Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. Susupe is also known as Susupi. As of 2000, its population is 2,083.-Education:Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System serves the town...
with an estimated crowd of approximately 3,000 people in attendance.
Fitial and Inos officially filed to run for re-election with the CNMI Election Commission on July 23, 2009, in the presence of nearly 200 family and supporters. In the November 2009 gubernatorial election
Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election, 2009
The Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election, 2009 was held on November 7, 2009 to determine the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands....
, Fitial was challenged by the Republican nominee, Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Hofschneider
Heinz Sablan Hofschneider is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Hofschneider served as the Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives until 2003....
, as well as independent candidates Juan Pan Guerrero
Juan Pan Guerrero
Juan "Pan" Tenorio Guerrero is a Northern Mariana Islands politician and businessman. He has been a member of the Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands in the past, but is running for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2009 as an independent, with Representative Joe Camacho as...
and Ramon "Kumoi" Guerrero
Ramon "Kumoi" Guerrero
Ramon "Kumoi" Santos Deleon Guerrero is a Northern Mariana Islands politician. Guerrero is an independent candidate for Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands in the 2009 gubernatorial election....
. In March 2009, Fitial had publicly stated that he will retire from politics if his re-election bid was unsuccessful.
In the general election, Hofschneider led Fitial by just 8 votes; because none of the candidates won a majority, a runoff between Hofschneider and Fitial was triggered. Fitial won the runoff by 370 votes and therefore was re-elected. Due to a newly ratified legislative initiative, Fitial will serve a five-year term and the next gubernatorial election will be held in 2014.
2005 Gubernatorial Election Results
Work experience
- Government:
- Speaker of the House of Representatives, 3rd, 12th, & 14th NMI Legislature
- Vice Speaker, 5th NMI Legislature
- Minority Leader, 2nd and 4th NMI Legislature
- Chief Administrative Officer, 1st NMI Legislature
- BudgetBudgetA budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
Officer, 1st NMI Legislature - Budget Analyst, Trust Territory Government
- News Director, KJQR Radio Station
- Business:
- President, Bank of Saipan
- Vice President, Tan Holdings CorporationTan Holdings CorporationTan Holdings Corporation is a holdings company located in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands . Since 1983, the company's headquarters are located in Saipan. The company's CEO is Henry Tan, its President is Willie Tan, and its Executive Vice-President is Jerry Tan. All...
- Special Consultant, L&T Corporation
- President, Century Insurance Corporation
- President, Century Travel Corporation
- President, Consolidated Transportation Services Inc. (CTSI)
- President, Pacific Oriental Inc. (POI)
- President, Home Improvement (MPI)
- Politics & Civic Contributions:
- Founder, CNMI Covenant PartyCovenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)The Covenant Party is a political party in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands advocating government and financial reform. In the legislative elections of 2003, the Covenant Party won nine of eighteen seats. In the 2005 elections, the Covenant Party increased its position as one of the...
- Chairman, Northern Marianas Republican PartyRepublican Party (Northern Mariana Islands)The Republican Party is a political party in the Northern Mariana Islands. In the 2001 gubernatorial election Juan Babauta of the Republican Party won with 42.8% of the vote...
- Chairman, Bush for President Committee for the CNMI
- Chairman, CNMI Zoning Board
- Chairman, NMI Trusteeship Termination Task Force
- Chairman, 1st CNMI Civil Service Commission
- Chairman, Saipan Municipal Scholarship Board
- Member, CNMI Tax Task Force
- Member, Republican Presidential Task Force (US)
- Delegate, 1st Northern Marianas Constitutional Convention
- Chairman, Constitutional Convention Committee(s) on Tax, Public Debt, Education, & Local Government
- Founder, CNMI Covenant Party